This glacier spilling down the
northeast side of Mount Baker starts at a fairly low elevation at the divide
between the Mazama and Park Glacier, below the Dorr Steamfield. You can
see the steam from this area in 2006 at right. That is the most
steam I have seen in the 23 years visiting this glacier. It is not easily accessible and is
seldom visited. Since 1984 the number of crevasses has declined
substantially. The glacier has also retreated 410 m since 1984. In
1984 it was still advancing slowly, 1985 ended the advance. Until after 2000 the glacier was connected to the Portals Glacier, on its north side. In 2004 the two
separated. This glacier has a unique Canyon on it formed by a
flowing stream on its surface

Rainbow Glacier 1979 (USGS)

Rainbow Glacier 1988 (Showing mass balance measurement
sites)

Rainbow Glacier in 2004

Rainbow Glacier in 2000.

Grand Canyon of the Rainbow Glacier 1995 above and
2004 below.

Rainbow Glacier in 2005 above and below the top of the
Rainbow Glacier